How Does Arbitrage Betting Work? Step-by-Step (2026)

Sports betting is taking the US by storm - and arbitrage betting, which allows you to lock in a profit no matter the outcome of a game, is one of the safest ways to get in on the action.

Once you’ve got to grips with exactly what arbitrage betting is, the next step is to learn how it works, and how you can get started as an arbitrage bettor.

In this blog, we’ll take you through exactly what you need to do to place your first arbitrage bets, lock in your first profits, and begin your arbing career with a bang.

How Does Arbitrage Betting Work?

Arbitrage betting works by strategically betting on both outcomes - or every outcome - of a sports event or game in order to ensure a profit. This practice is also known as arbing or sure betting, and its popularity in the US has exploded since sports betting opened up in 2018.

While arbing is generally considered a sports betting strategy, when followed correctly, it actually involves zero gambling. By spotting and taking advantage of discrepancies in sportsbook odds, users can secure monthly profits through arbitrage betting.

Step-by-Step Summary of an Arbitrage Bet (In a Nutshell)

• An arbitrage opportunity is spotted across two different sportsbooks
• The bettor calculates the necessary stakes to result in a certain profit regardless of the outcome of the game
• Two bets are placed, one on each outcome, so that all possibilities are covered
• The game concludes, and the bettor collects their profit

Keep in mind this is a snapshot overview. Hang in and we’ll give you the juicy details, including a step-by-step breakdown you can replicate to make a profitable arbitrage bet after this next need-to-know section.

Why Arbitrage Betting Opportunities Exist

Arbitrage betting takes advantage of the fact that sportsbooks’ odds aren’t always the same. When opposing sportsbook odds on an event can equal a positive value, this creates an arbitrage opportunity.

These differences in odds can occur for a variety of reasons:

• Difference of opinion. Different sportsbooks employ different experts and use different algorithms to predict the outcomes of sports events. This may mean that one sportsbook thinks Team A is more likely to win than another.
• Reactivity. Some sportsbooks are quicker to react to changing events (e.g. injuries, line-up, weather) than others. If one sportsbook is particularly slow off the mark, and another much faster, this can create an opportunity for a speedy bettor to take advantage of the discrepancy.
• Promotional odds. Sportsbooks will often offer particularly attractive odds on certain events to draw in customers, and to encourage bettors to choose them over another sportsbook.
• Balancing the books. If a sportsbook is receiving a disproportionate volume of betting on one side of an event, they may raise the odds on the other side to encourage greater betting volume there. This allows them to make their desired profit no matter who ends up winning.
• Differing profit margins. Some sportsbooks have much higher profit margins than others, so it’s expected that you’ll see some variance in odds as a result.

Some odds discrepancies result in an opportunity for a bettor to place bets on each (or every) outcome for a particular market and produce a profit no matter what happens.

To illustrate exactly how that can work, let’s take a look at an example of an arbitrage bet in practice:

As you can see, with the right amount staked on each outcome, it’s possible to secure a certain profit no matter which way the game goes.

So, now you understand how arbitrage opportunities come about, let’s take a look at how you go about getting started with arbitrage betting, in six simple steps.

How Arbitrage Betting Works: Step by Step

Step 1: Research and Sign Up to Sportsbooks

As a bare minimum, you need to hold accounts with at least two sportsbooks in order to create an arbitrage bet. Realistically, though, you need to have quite a few more than that in order to create any meaningful profits from arbitrage betting.

To start with, check which sportsbooks are available in your state - not all sportsbooks can be used from every state, even if sports betting is legal there.

It’s also wise to check that a sportsbook is regulated before you hand over your personal details for an account, and we’d strongly recommend avoiding any offshore betting sites.

Alternatively, become a ProfitDuel member to save yourself a ton of time and effort - we’ll set up this process for you (and make sure you don’t waste those precious sportsbook sign-up bonuses).

Step 2: Find Arbitrage Betting Opportunities

Now it’s time to track down odds discrepancies that result in an arbitrage opportunity.

An arbitrage opportunity occurs when slight odds differences between sportsbooks briefly occur, allowing bettors to cover every outcome of an event and lock in a profit.

If you’re performing this step manually and on your own, you’ll need to devote significant amounts of time to odds shopping - i.e. carefully monitoring your sportsbooks for favorable odds.

It must be said that there are significant downsides to doing this manually: it’s time-consuming, and it requires an eagle eye and an excellent knowledge of how odds relates to each other. It’s also all too easy to miss a good arbitrage opportunity because you spot the odds discrepancy too late, and the odds have changed by the time you’ve calculated your stakes.

The ProfitDuel Arb Matcher, however, takes all the effort and frustration out of this process. It constantly scans for and displays arbitrage opportunities, meaning that you’ll never miss a chance to make an arb profit.

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What Our Experts Say

"Sportsbooks don’t align on odds because they react to different data sets, customer behavior, and internal margins. That variance is exactly what arbitrage bettors capitalize on and what makes reliable tools so indispensable."

- Casey Halpern, Sports Betting Expert at ProfitDuel

Step 3: Calculate Your Stakes and Profits

Once you’ve located a potential arb, you’ll need to work out the optimal stakes to place on your selections with each sportsbook.

It’s possible to do the math manually, but we’d strongly recommend using an arbitrage calculator. There are plenty of free arbitrage calculators out there, so make sure to choose one that suits your needs, ideally one that caters for differing odds formats and 2-way, 3-way and even 4-way arbs.

It’s worth noting, though, that it can take considerable time to locate an arb opportunity and work out your stake - and there’s a risk that by the time you’ve done all that work, the odds will have changed and your arb will have melted away.

Instead, if you’re a ProfitDuel member, you can simply use the Arb Matcher to place your bets in seconds. The Arb Matcher shows you exactly what to bet on, your recommended stakes, and the profit you can expect to make - with just a few clicks, you’re done!

Step 4: Place Your Bets

All you need to do now is navigate to each sportsbook and place your bets, making sure to get the stakes the right way around!

Having done so, you’re free to sit back and watch the game, secure in the knowledge that you’ll make a profit regardless of which team or player ends up winning.

Your first arbitrage bet is now complete - but there are a few further steps involved in a complete arbitrage strategy.

Step 5: Track Your Profits

The most successful sports bettors are always the best organized, and that’s the case for arbitrage betting as much as with any other sports betting strategy.

Make sure to keep track of your bets and your profits as you go, either in the form of a basic spreadsheet or with ProfitDuel’s handy Profit Tracker, which can help take your arbitrage betting strategy to the next level by automating tracking, profit analytics and trends.

Step 6: Withdraw Your Winnings

Now for the fun part: withdrawing your winnings from the sportsbook, and putting them to use. Maybe you’ll put your profits towards taking a vacation, buying a car, or even saving for a house.

It may be worth taking a strategic approach to withdrawing any returns from the sportsbooks, however. If you’re arbing consistently, you’ll find it a pain in the neck to be constantly depositing to cover your next bet if you’ve already withdrawn all your winnings. It’s generally best to keep a certain amount in your account, at least with the sportsbooks you use most frequently.

It can also help to make you look more like the average bettor if you keep some of your winnings in the sportsbook ready for your next bet.

Now you know the steps it takes to profit from an arbitrage bet, these next sections will show you the tips the top 1% arbitrage bettors follow to take their profits to the next level.

Repeat the Process: It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

With your first arbitrage bet complete and your profits unlocked, it’s time to go again!

Keep up your momentum by tracking down your next arb opportunity and starting to build your profits.

This might seem like an intimidating process for a beginner, and on your own it can be, but at ProfitDuel we take you through everything you need to know with beginner-friendly tools, dedicated guides, and expert support.

With ProfitDuel by your side, building profits with arbitrage betting is quicker, easier and more accessible than ever before.

Sign up now to discover how the ProfitDuel Arb Matcher can level-up your winnings.

Combine With Other Strategies (The Secret Sauce)

Once you’ve got to grips with arbitrage, expand your horizons and maximize your profits with other smart betting strategies.

There’s a wide range of smart betting techniques used by sports bettors around the world alongside classic arbitrage betting.

Some of the most profitable are as follows:

• Matched Betting: use this strategy to convert sportsbook promos and bonuses into cash with tools like the Dutch Matcher.
• Expected Value Betting: identify and place +EV bets - made easier with dedicated tools and software, accessible with a ProfitDuel Elite membership.
• Profit Boost Conversion: one of the easiest strategies out there, profit boost conversion involves converting sportsbook profit boosts into profits, using tools like the ProfitDuel Boost Matcher.
• Casino Promo Conversion: a technique used to gain an edge over the casino, ideally with specialized tools like casino simulators and slots databases.
  

Getting Started With Arbitrage Betting

Arbitrage betting is one of the most reliable smart betting strategies out there.

• It’s beginner-friendly
• It involves minimal risk
• It allows you to build consistent profits
• No sports knowledge is needed

And if you’re serious about getting started with arbitrage, ProfitDuel is the best platform on the market to build your profits with maximum ease and minimum frustration.

Why? Because finding a good arbitrage betting platform relies on three key things:

• Powerful software
• Clear and beginner-friendly guides
• Expert support

And at ProfitDuel we’ve got all of those, and more.

At ProfitDuel, we have over 15 years of experience helping 500,000+ members across the U.S. and Europe make consistent profits through smart betting strategies, including arbitrage betting, matched betting and EV betting.

Our platform includes powerful matched and arbitrage betting tools, a range of step by step guides, and a team of experts on hand to offer support, making it the best platform on the market for arbitrage betting, or any other smart betting strategy.

And in even better news, you can start right now! Get access to all the software, strategies and support you need to make money from arbitrage betting.

What is ProfitDuel?

Arbitrage betting allows you to lock in profit by covering all outcomes across different sportsbooks. ProfitDuel gives you the tools and data needed to spot these opportunities quickly and execute them confidently.

Trusted by over 500,000 users across the USA and UK, ProfitDuel is the smart betting toolkit built to help you maximize profit and minimize risk. We equip our members with real-time data, cutting-edge tools and expert support to help our members make consistent profits through strategy, not luck.

Centered around proven techniques like matched betting, arbitrage betting, and value betting (EV betting), our betting calculators, betting tools and live market data make it easy to spot hidden edges and turn them into profit.

From converting sportsbook promos and casino bonuses into cash to maximizing your long-term winnings using EV software, we’ve got you covered.

Whether you’re an experienced bettor sharpening your edge or a beginner looking for a profitable side hustle, ProfitDuel gives you the software, systems and expert support to boost your monthly earnings with confidence. Because the smartest way to bet isn’t gambling — it’s strategy.

Arbitrage Betting: FAQs

Is arbitrage betting legal in the US?

Yes. Arbitrage betting is totally legal in regulated states because all you’re doing is placing separate bets at different sportsbooks. Those sportsbooks may not like arbitrage betting (and they’ll do their best to detect anyone engaged in arbitrage) but you’re legally in the clear.

Will arbitrage betting get my sportsbook account limited?

As we know, sportsbooks do their best to detect arbitrage bettors, and they may restrict your account or even ban you if they realize what you’re up to. It’s therefore wise to mix up your bet types, stake sizes and strategies in order to blend in with the crowd. Doing nothing but betting on obvious arbs is likely to draw attention and result in restrictions.

What bankroll size is recommended for beginners?

Ideally, you should begin with a small test bankroll that allows you to stake each side of an arbitrage bet comfortably. As your bets create profits, your bankroll will start to grow.

What odds gap do I need for a positive arb?

In a two-way market, you’re looking for a combined implied probability under 100%. In terms of odds, a −120 / +125 split is approximately break-even; anything wider than that should yield a positive return.

How fast do I need to place arbitrage bets?

We certainly recommend moving quickly when arbitrage betting, as profitable odds discrepancies don’t tend to last very long. As books realize their odds are inflated, they’ll adjust their lines or copy competitors’ prices. That said, you shouldn’t rush your betting either, as this increases the likelihood of errors.

What is a palpable error (AKA ‘palp’) and can it affect my arb?

A palpable error means that the odds are so inflated that it’s clear an error has been made. If this is the case, the book may void the bet. You should therefore always check the sportsbook’s terms on palpable errors and avoid excessively inflated edges (generally speaking, if the odds produce a 10% or greater advantage to the bettor, they’re probably the result of a palpable error).

Can I combine arbitrage with matched betting promos?

Absolutely! You can use bonuses from a matched betting promo to boost one side of your arb; you’ll still be able to work out an ideal stake to produce the same profit regardless of the outcome of the event.